Getting somebody to commit is a function of two things and two things only: fear and desire. Thomas Hobbes, a philosopher of politics, showed how fear and desire gets people to relinquish a degree of liberty in exchange for collectively-ensured security.

More recently, Daniel Kahneman, a Nobel Prize psychologist, shows that both fear and desire are critical components of the decision-making process. Presenting a specific topic as a threat (a threat to the business, a threat to their products or a threat to their position in the company) elicits a clear reaction, when, in contrast, presenting the same topic as an opportunity elicits only a lackluster reaction. Typically, fear makes it easier to secure commitment from Senior Management.